COCO

Turning your gaze away from the charting grime artists in the UK such as Stormzy and JME, it’s easy to see an underground hip-hop scene bursting with fresh talent. From the likes of Kojey Radical to 808INK, there is a huge array of new and unusual artists brewing in the midst. Latest from the pack is Steel City MC, Coco.

Coco acts as a sort of middle ground, coming with a swagger and bravado hugely influenced by the grime scene, only with an all in all more polished sound. The message of the song isn’t exactly cryptic – ‘Big N Serious’ is all about boasting about his successes, and bragging about how he got there. It’s because he’s big and serious, apparently.

Despite the bombast and machismo, and frankly all-out ridiculous outfit, there is something undeniably likeable about Coco. Boasting clever lyrics and an impeccable and intelligent flow, he’s certainly making waves. And he just about manages to keep modest about it.

Words by George Rowan

Tipped by Simon Pursehouse from Sentric Music